[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 34 (Monday, February 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REMEMBERING THE ANNIVERSARIES OF TWO TRAGEDIES IN AZERBAIJAN

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                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 26, 2018

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, as Co-Chairman of the Congressional 
Azerbaijan Caucus, I would like to take time to recognize the 
anniversaries of two tragedies in the history of this great American 
ally.
  On January 20th 1990, heavily-armed Soviet troops stormed the capital 
city of Baku in a final attempt to quell anti-communist uprising. The 
day is most commonly known as ``Black January'' due to the terrible 
human losses and subsequent military rule. 26,000 soldiers fired into 
crowds of civilians targeting women, children, hospitals, and 
ambulances. Fighting lasted for three days and resulted in 131 
fatalities, over 600 injuries, 841 arrests where detainees were subject 
to torture, and to this day an unknown number are still missing. These 
horrific acts did not have their desired effect in the slightest on 
Azerbaijan who won independence less than two years later.
  The second occurred on this day, February 26, twenty-six years ago in 
the city of Khojaly where several thousand ethnic Azerbaijani people 
were trapped in a blockade by Armenian troops seeking to lay claim to 
the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Citizens of the city were told that they 
may escape if they left immediately but regardless, hundreds of 
innocent citizens, including women, children, and the elderly, were 
brutally murdered or taken prisoner on that day. This was the largest 
massacre as part of a conflict that is still ongoing.
  As the first nation to lend its support to the United States 
following the attacks of September 11th, so too does Azerbaijan deserve 
our support and condolences for their losses. These were terrible 
crimes against humanity which we must never forget, and I urge my 
colleagues to commemorate them on this day.

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